Monday November 16, 2009

Quotes of the week:

"Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude."
— Waitley Creating

Office news:

If you or anyone you know is looking to lose weight, don't put it off until the New Year! Call us about our Doctors Weight Loss Solution so you can get a head start before the holidays!

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Doctor's Corner

Dr. Mariner's Corner:

Osteoarthritis, or simply "O.A." is the most common form of arthritis there is. Also known by the name of Degenerative Joint Disease or "DJD" it is characterized by a progressive loss of cartilage. Often times there is associated irregular shaping changes along the margins or edges of the bone itself.

OA is the leading cause of disability in this country for those over the age of 65. DJD is referred to in lay terms as "wear and tear" arthritis because it is caused by biomechanical injury arising from motor vehicle accidents, falls, sports injuries, and repetitive motion activities. When these incidents occur and they aren't rehabilitated properly, the wear and tear arthritis proceeds, literally speeding up the aging process of the injured joints.

The signs and symptoms are usually slow to develop at first. The earliest manifestation may simply be localized stiffness. Crepitus, decreased range of motion and finally pain begins to appear. Unfortunately, patients usually wait until this stage before they seek care.

X-ray changes usually reveal loss of normal bony alignment, loss of cartilage and joint spacing as well as irregular bone shaping which includes bone spurs.

Treatment includes realignment of the misaligned joints themselves through chiropractic adjusting. This serves to reduce the stress on the cartilage of the joint and enables a more normal range of motion to take place. This helps to halt the advanced ageing process that's been in place over time.

Other therapeutic treatments include, decompression therapy, ultrasound, diathermy, stretching exercises, increased range of motion exercises, and supplemental intervention can all greatly aid in the healing process.

Of course, the best intervention is prevention and proper chiropractic rehabilitation at the point of injury. This prevents the advanced ageing from ever beginning in the first place!

Yours in health and in life,
Dr. Robert R. Mariner

Yours in Health

R. Kim Etheredge D.C.

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This week in nutrition:

Beautiful Skin From Within

By Dr. John Maher

Throughout your lifetime, numerous environmental insults work to damage and alter your "sheath," otherwise known as your skin. Indeed, more than 80 percent of the visible changes that age the skin are caused by outside factors like the sun, detergents and pollutants.

Besides minimizing such exposure, we may actually be able to prevent and reverse some of the visible signs by fighting chronic inflammation and maintaining skin barrier function. To do this, we can rely on an easily accessible, all-natural source: good nutrition.

Researchers recognize that many natural foods have anti-inflammatory properties, mostly provided by healthy fats and antioxidants. Foods containing these skin-healthy fats include avocado, fish oil, flax seed, and olive oil. Olive oil and avocado provide barrier-supporting nutrients, called sterols, and anti-inflammatory monounsaturated ("good") fats. Vitamins E and C, selenium, green and white teas, apples, cocoa and berries are also skin friendly; they supply protective antioxidants. Antioxidants fight off the bad guys (free radicals) to keep us looking young and healthy. Even probiotics, which are the friendly bacteria in our diets, aid in protecting the skin. Experts suggest we get more of the aforementioned foods and less red meat, fried foods, salt, sugar and white flour.

Nutracosmetics are nutritional supplements that produce a cosmetic benefit. Various studies have reported on the "cosmeceutical" value of ingredients like collagen extracts (hydrolyzed gelatin), and peptides and growth factors from dairy colostrum and whey. In one case study, researchers used omega-3 fatty acids to rehydrate skin via nutrition. Approximately 50 percent of women are affected by dry and sensitive skin. Dry skin can be a result of inadequate hydration and a lack of fatty acids in the diet. In one study, supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids (flaxseed and borage oil) resulted in a 12-fold increase in the omega-3 status of the skin in three months!

The other major defense against environmental damage is the antioxidant capacity of the skin. Bolstering the antioxidant defense system of the skin is an important strategy for reducing environmentally induced skin damage. Recent clinical trials in which green leafy vegetables, egg yolks, and marigold flower extracts ( all rich in lutein and zeaxanthin) were administered orally, topically, or both indicated that combined oral and topical administration provides the highest degree of antioxidant protection.

As we age, the essential mesh-like collagen structure of the skin's layers breaks down, causing skin to lose its elasticity. When this happens, skin starts to dry and then lines and wrinkles become visible. Nutritional science suggests it is possible to reverse some of the damage and promote cell rejuvenation. Colostrum, which is the "first milk" of newborn mammals, contains peptides that regulate cell function and stimulate growth of collagen cells. These peptides may be taken as a supplement from bovine (cow) colostrum.

Gelatin is a form of hydrolyzed collagen commonly used in foods. It has long been reported that consuming gelatin can improve the structure and health of the skin, hair and nails. Indeed, proline, glycine and hydroxproline are the main amino acids in gelatin and collagen - and the skin, hair and nails. However, certain simple chains of amino acids called collagen peptides, sourced from gelatin, appear more promising. Collagen and elastin are often incorporated into cosmetics, but neither collagen nor elastin is able to penetrate the skin.

A Healthy Skin Strategy: Five Take-Home Points

• Stay well hydrated throughout the day and particularly during exercise and when the weather is dry.
• Avoid excess drying of the skin, which can be caused by detergent cleansers, sun and wind.
• Minimize ultraviolet (UV) exposure.
• Consume a variety of antioxidants and omega-3 fats with food and/or supplementation.
• Topically apply all-natural moisturizers containing antioxidants, sterols and healing peptides.

• Option 1: Add I scoop of whey protein with colostrum, which not only adds skin healthy peptides, but also makes the smoothie more of a meal replacement.
• Option 2: Add 4 ounces of low-fat, high-active-culture yogurt to add friendly microorganisms (probiotics) that are good for the skin.
• Option 3: Add a packet ( tsp) of plain gelatin 9 hydrolized collagen to add the amino acid building blocks of all connective tissue (joints, skin, hair , nails).

• 1/4 teaspoon of a greens powder
• 1/4 teaspoon whey protein with colostrum
• 1 tablespoon plain organic yogurt

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Low Back Pain

Seven out of ten people are bothered by back pain. Waking up stiff and sore in the morning, or stabbing back pain are warning signs that your spine may be in trouble. Decreasing your level of activity, taking pain killers, or feeling tired and sore at the day's end are signs that something isn't right with your spine.

Who do you know that suffers from Low Back Pain and could use our services?

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